PUT YOUR BEST CARD FORWARD
BUSINESS CARD ETIQUETTE IN 3 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
The business card is a nearly ubiquitous way to give your name, position, company, and contact information to potential clients and business partners all over the world. And while the exchange of business cards in the United States does not come with a lot of pomp and circumstance, that is not the case in many other countries. If you find yourself in one of the following places, remember these tips about exchanging business cards. Known in Japan as meishi , the exchange of business cards comes with a lot of ceremony. Present your card with both hands, as this gesture is seen as respectful. Japanese culture places a lot of value on hierarchy and status, so make sure your title is listed prominently. When receiving a card, take a minute to look it over and comment on it. Immediately putting it away is disrespectful, and once you’re done looking at it, put it in a cardholder, folder, or binder. JAPAN
your card. The practice of giving and receiving cards is very similar to that of Japan. Finish the exchange with a bow as a way to thank your acquaintance for meeting with you.
INDIA
Business cards are exchanged even in nonbusiness interactions in India. Much like hierarchy and status are valued in Japan, academic achievements are valued in India, so list your university, degrees, and honors along with your other information. When exchanging cards, always give and receive them with your right hand. This is also common practice in many Middle Eastern countries. Exchanging business cards the wrong way probably won’t be detrimental to your business deal, but learning the proper etiquette in the country you’re visiting can go a long way in starting a professional relationship on the right foot.
CHINA
In China, as in many other countries, having your credentials and contact info in English on one side and in the local language on the other is good practice. Gold lettering is considered auspicious, and if your business is relatively old, make sure the year it was founded is on
More Than Three Letters
OTHER CHARGES THAT COME WITH A DUI
have a few glasses of wine, drive home, and get pulled over before you get there. You blow a positive on a (potentially faulty) breathalyzer test and are charged with a DUI. The prosecution may also decide that since you placed your children in the car and the breathalyzer said you were drunk, you put your kids in danger. This is an extremely serious charge that can result in losing custody. There are two types of vehicular homicide in Georgia. In either case, the charge is usually leveled at a driver who the prosecution believes is directly responsible for any deaths caused by an accident. First-degree vehicular homicide is by far the most serious. It’s a felony charge, resulting in up to 20 years in prison. The second-degree charge is a misdemeanor VEHICULAR HOMICIDE
for which you may face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The determining factor between these charges is often whether or not the driver was driving under the influence. A DUI that results in death will solidify a first-degree charge. A successful DUI defense can have a cascading effect on other charges tied to your case. If you weren’t in fact over the legal limit, how can the prosecution claim you were endangering your children? If you are found not guilty of driving under the influence, a vehicular homicide charge may be reduced to second-degree or dropped entirely if the prosecution fails to prove your actions were directly responsible for the death. This is why having a skilled defense lawyer who is well-versed in DUI cases, like Jim Yeargan, can be invaluable.
Getting pulled over while drunk is a nightmarish scenario. Just getting charged with a DUI on its own means you’re facing an uphill legal battle that could result in disastrous consequences for your future. But the reality is DUIs are usually paired with other serious charges, compounding the fines and jail time you may face. Here are a couple examples.
CHILD ENDANGERMENT
Let’s say you went to dinner at a friend’s house and brought the whole family. You
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